A Brit, even if they are alone, forms an orderly queue of one.
asserted
they → form → one
No one waits their turn like us.
asserted
one → wait → us
No other nation says ‘thank you’ more than us either – fact.
asserted
nation → say → us
In no other country is ‘sorry’ scattered through conversation like confetti: ‘sorry for brushing past’; ‘sorry, do you have the time?’
asserted
you → scatter → time
But it can also work against us.
asserted
it → work → us
A new campaign warns that British courtesy is being exploited by fraudsters who keep us yakking on the phone, all the better to scam us.
asserted
who → warn → us
A survey finds that 53 per cent of us stay on calls, unable to bring the thing to a conclusion for fear of looking rude.
asserted
cent → find → fear
Meanwhile only 43 per cent of Americans do the same.
asserted
cent → do → same
Presumably once the penny drops they bark a ‘see ya later, punk!’ a la Dirty Harry.
asserted
they → drop → Harry
And so the Take Five To Stop Fraud national campaign is encouraging us to ‘master the art of impoliteness’.
asserted
campaign → stop → impoliteness
Fronted by Strictly’s famously sharp-tongued judge Craig Revel Horwood, we are being encouraged to jettison concerns about being polite; to treat unwarranted callers with the same derision as dancers who have just delivered a lacklustre cha-cha-cha.
asserted
who → front → cha
A spokeswoman from the campaign said the aim is to give people ‘permission to put protection before politeness’.
asserted
aim → say → politeness
It is sound advice that we should all heed – and women most of all.
asserted
we → heed → all
Despite decades of feminism, the belief that girls should embody sugar, spice and all things nice still lingers.
asserted
girls → embody → sugar
Yes, if you talk about the ‘societal conditioning of women’, you sound like someone who would blame getting a parking ticket on ‘the patriarchy’.
asserted
who → talk → patriarchy
Somewhere along the line we imbibe the idea that the highest female quality is niceness – and this means women are polite when they really shouldn’t be.
asserted
they → imbibe → idea
I have long wondered how many crimes perpetrated against women happen partly because a woman is too polite - to say no, to act on a sense of unease, writes Clare Foges
I have long wondered how many crimes perpetrated against women happen partly because a woman is too polite – to say no, to act on a sense of unease, to reject the offer of a walk home.
I wonder because it almost happened to me.
asserted
it → wonder → me
While on a trip overseas about 15 years ago, I met a friendly Canadian man at a hostel.
asserted
I → meet → hostel
We played a board game, had a beer – that was it.
asserted
that → play → beer
I gave him my number because that’s what you do when you’re travelling: ‘If you’re ever in London, let me know!’
asserted
me → give → London
Did I fancy a drink?
asserted
I → fancy → drink
Here was my first opportunity to say ‘no’.
asserted
opportunity → say → ?
It was a cold evening, I was tired and wanted to head straight home from work.
asserted
I → want → work
I’d only met the bloke for an hour or so before.
asserted
I → meet → hour
In the same situation a man would have ignored the text message.
asserted
man → ignore → message
But up popped Miss Polite, a honey-toned inner voice: he’s so far from home!
asserted
he → pop → home
It would be rude not to meet.
asserted
It → meet → ?
In a West End bar one drink turned into three.
asserted
drink → turn → three
I was bored and longing to go home – but Miss Polite over-ruled such rudeness.
asserted
Polite → long → rudeness
It would hurt his feelings, after all.
asserted
It → hurt → feelings
I would stay until last orders then bid him farewell.
asserted
I → stay → farewell
When time at the bar was called, I started making my exit.
asserted
I → call → exit
‘We must do it again when you’re next in town,’ I fluffed, though, again, this was the last thing I wanted to say.
asserted
I → do → town
He started insisting on walking me home.
asserted
He → start → me
‘Honestly, that’s really kind but it’s not far and it’s well-lit,’ I protested.
asserted
I → ’ → ?
But he carried on insisting, it felt awkward and Miss Polite over-ruled yet again.
asserted
Polite → carry → ?
He’s trying to do the gallant thing!
asserted
He → try → thing
So off we went.
asserted
we → go → ?
At my door there were a few excruciating minutes when I tried to bid him goodbye, door key in hand, while he stood rooted to the spot.
asserted
he → be → spot
He was starving, he said.
asserted
he → starve → ?
…and 41 more, not listed.
The Aporia
